S26.E04: The Great Amazing Nasty Race (Bangkok)

[Guest]

I guess nobody works on cars anymore. This makes me sad.

Sure they do.  Mechanics.  I'll change wiper blades or something but open up my transmission?  Nah, I'll leave that to the pros.  

 

That was the hardest speed bump I've ever seen. Lantern, if you remember a harder one, please remind me what it was.

 

I thought it looked hard at first too but then the guys said it went really fast.  It seems like most of them take 10-20 minutes.  I can believe that one took under 20.  I think they had instructions.

Edited March 14, 2015 by Guest

[truthaboutluv]

Cats are unpredictable. Some are nice, some are not.

 

 

Cats creep me the fuck out. Some cat lover got really pissed off at me some years ago for saying this. But I swear, they genuinely creep me out. The way they just skulk around, creep around you without you noticing, if you're in a house with one, you'll get up and there'll be their creepy eyes staring at you in the dark and even cat lovers will admit that unlike dogs who if their owner dies may die with them, cats feed on their owners if they die alone in a house. Like what the hell? Just creepy animals. 

[GaT]

That was not a good episode. First, was there any doubt as to who was being eliminated? They didn't even try to make it seem like there was a chance Jonathan & Harley wouldn't come in last. Second, STFU Hayley & Jenny, Third, pouring milk in a bowl for a cat is an actual challenge? Fourth, STFU Hayley & Jenny, Fifth, did I mention STFU Hayley & Jenny?

[biakbiak]

Sure they do.  Mechanics.  I'll change wiper blades or something but open up my transmission?  Nah, I'll leave that to the pros.  

 

I thought it looked hard at first too but then the guys said it went really fast.  It seems like most of them take 10-20 minutes.  I can believe that one took under 20.  I think they had instructions.

 

It can actually be kind of hard to work on cars anymore, I am not talking about changing tires or oil or doing basic maintenance or simple repairs but many car nowadays do require some tools and knowledge that older cars didn't have so for many people it makes more sense to have AAA and a decent mechanic. I remember the first time my grandmother experienced a moment of happiness after my grandfather died was because she could finally buy a car complete with tons of bells and whistles (and by bells and whistles I mean in the 1990s it was the first time she bought a car with automatic locks and windows because even though my grandfather had  not had a job working on car since the 1950s  he refused to buy a car that had anything on it he couldn't fix himself , they used to pay extra for the "privelege" of having to manual rolldown windows and lock the doors. And even he had to concede shortly before he died that he couldn't rebuild the engine on their latest car) I mean before I was allowed to get my license in the 90s I had to show my father I could change the oil and a tire and I have never done either since I was 15 1/2 but that was a rarity. My boyfriend is a total gearhead and one of my best friends put herself through college restoring classic cars and selling them for ridiculous prices but she still needs to at least consult with and use her friends garage on her more modern cars). I am not saying it's not a skill that shouldn't be admired but it is sort of the same thing that my grandparents also used to know how to breakdown a fish, chicken, pig, deer, and cow and the best I can do is dress a fish and breakdown a plucked chicken from the grocery store. There comes a time be it because of where you live or what you do that those formerly basic skills fall by the wayside. I mean my grandfather is dead and knew how to build an engine from scratch but he would have been flummoxed by the pnuematic wrench that they were using.

[Muffyn]

I weirdly enjoyed Kurt’s egg dance.  Just hopping around chewing a gelatinous egg.

[Netfoot]

Public Proposal Flashback!  <yawn>  #DateNight! <snore>

 

Aeroplane with a bird-beak.  Cute!   Early Speed Bump, just to make it meaningless.

 

Hayley still hasn't shut up.  Has she been talking non-stop for a whole week? 

 

Four teams checking in at the last pitstop between 3:51 and 4:01 when Matt & Ashley arrived to execute their proposal. And two more checked in by 4:03. Not too hard to believe proposal was impromptu and the group photo was not pre-arranged.

 

Jenny is starting to get right up my nose. 

 

NKOTB three hours behind on a different plane, with a Speed Bump to perform.  I expect it will be easy...

 

Blair, you can bump her off.  No jury would ever convict you.  Weird talking-head from Bergen about how feckless Kurt is.  I want one of those boats!  Honking great engine on the back, as well!

 

Century eggs.  Matt: "Go team, baby!"  Ashley: "Yeeeeeeechhh!"

 

What, nobody ever played snooker?  Or worked on their car? 

 

When Blair is finished with the garrotte, maybe he can lend it to Jelani!

 

Mike and Rochelle seem to be nice people.  The Cat-Cafe is Creepy.  My old banger could use a new gearbox right now.  But this bunch of clowns aren't up to the job!

 

"That's a mystery waiting to happen..."

 

Laura is fourth.  Or last, depending upon your point of view.  Jenny & Jelani slip away as Ashley faceplants.  Get up, Ashley!

 

Lack-luster episode, predictable conclusion.

[Delwyn]

We actually had to pause for a laughter break when Blair said "I don't even know who you're fighting with right now!" as she argued a point he had long since stopped caring about. I would have loved to see that quote as the title of the episode. When Hayley told Blair to take charge, then immediately started bossing him around, his telling look at the crew, saying "seriously, this girl; please tell me you caught that on camera, right?" was priceless. I think they edit her in a pretty condemning way, but you can't really argue that him making one or two mistakes outweighs him wondering if she is an acceptable teammate in all ways.

Awesome to see Rochelle kick ass because of an ability to assess and solve the problem instead of real world experience. It bodes well for them in the future and I love their commitment to required silliness.

I'm sad to lose Jon and Harley because they seemed so mature and worked really well as a team. Fans of the race, sure, but also they knew that it didn't matter to their bond at all. It was just something fantastic that they experienced together in away that it wasn't schmaltzy when they had to concede.

I could not even fathom eating a regular hard boiled egg in large segments, never mind one that has been rotting for several months in quicklime/clay/ash etc. I covered my ears and my eyes for that whole task. Worse than the fermented shark in Iceland for sure. But maybe better than live bugs?

Edited March 14, 2015 by Delwyn

[lilabennet]

I think the most telling moment between Blair and Hayley was in the very beginning of the episode when she was complaining to him that "[he] could have probably negotiated better with the tuk-tuk driver, yesterday".  I have no trouble believing that she has been pick, pick, picking at him the entire time about both big and little things.  Now I just wonder what she talked about during the 12+ hour flight to Tokyo during the first leg that had him already checked out so he didn't listen to her about the directions.

[cooksdelight]

Hayley had better hope there are no challenges ahead that involve your partner pulling you up a steep cliff with a rope. Or anything involving knives. Or arrows. Blair is going to reach his breaking point with her. No jury would convict him, it would be justifiable homicide.

Cats creep me the fuck out.

I've got a Siamese snowshoe cat (think Grumpy Cat without the underbite) who has an intense stare. It's like he's trying to suck my soul out of my body. But he's the snuggliest furball there ever was.

[anonymiss]

What was the last thing Jenny said when they were arguing in the final taxi ride? All I could make out was: "... every day ... on the Amazing Race."

[kris4n6]

I found it ironic that she was the one who loudly lectured her partner on NOT debating which of two teams had rights to that first cab at the airport. That it didn't matter, that it only cost them a few minutes to find another yadda yadda. The result was they got another taxi that apparently sucked since they seemed to disappear into a vortex only to be shown again having lost a lot of time. It put them way WAY behind that other couple that grabbed that taxi at the airport. They (one of the generic ones, have no clue) shot into the lead until they couldn't find the Metal Castle. Then she was the one screaming to get a cab FAST and leave them in the dust.

At least I think it was the other couple claiming that first cab at the airport as well. Like I say, it was one of the endless generic ones.

Jackie and Jeff snagged their cab, and it was Matt and Ashley that they left behind when they got in the tuk-tuk.

I'm also almost certain Jenny and Jelani switched cabs on the way to the first clue. Their driver was an older man, and Jenny complained about him being so slow, but when they got to the clue their driver was a young man. I already deleted the episode so I can't check, but I swear it was a different guy.

Edited March 14, 2015 by kris4n6

[Humbugged]

Well, I've definitely come down onto Team Blair. How he managed to get through that leg with that smile pasted on his face is beyond me. I would have fed Haley to those cats. Or "accidentally" knocked her off the boat. What an annoying person. He declares that she can lead and make the decisions. She agrees. Then she rips open the clue and immediately asked him what he wants to do. Then when he makes a choice, at her request, she tells him it's wrong. Arggghh!

Jenny and Jelani also had a difficult leg, but she is aggressive, and he is going to have to deal with it. It's not a bad thing to be on the Race. 

 

What cracked me up with the blind dating gay couple is that the both of them did those flips after the Greeter. I mean are they twins who were separated at birth? No wonder they don't see romance in their future. It would be positively incestuous!

 

I've never eaten 1,000 year old eggs. I do know that they are not literally 1,000 years old, but rather eggs that have been left to ferment for a period of time. The fact that they have somehow turned into black fermented egg Jello is the part that turned my stomach. 

 

Sorry to see The Not so New Kid leave. He and his partner were delightful, but they had way too big a deficit to make up. 

 

They turn black because of the tea used as part of the mix used to ferment them . Black tea,ash and lime get mixed together to form a paste and coated on the eggs and then they sit for 100 days.

[shura]

Wow, I respect your perspective, but she has assumed no decision making role at all.  She insists that he make all the decisions and sometimes insists they do it her way and then complains when it doesn't turn out or loudly and continualy disagrees with his decision, but does it anyway and then carps ad nauseum if it doesn't workout.

And when in a way to get himself off the never ending hook of defeat, tells her to take the lead, she resists and resists and he gives in and the VERY first thing he says to do - SHE DISAGREES AND GOES OFF HER OWN WAY - which would somehow in her eyes been his faul

 

The thing about Hayley is that she doesn't want to be listened to -- she wants to complain that she is not listened to. She can't do that when Blair is listening to her, that's why she needs him to make decisions, so she can then criticize them and complain that he ignores her input. It's like she likes to be the victim or something like that.

 

And how are people scared of cats?  Allergic to them, sure.  Don't really like them?  Weird, but okay.  But scared?  Of cats?  I mean, my sister's 24 pound orange blob might crush a bone when he sits on you, but he's totally harmless otherwise.

 

Some people actually have a physiological reaction to cats that looks like fear. I knew someone whose heart rate would go up and she would start sweating when a cat was nearby. Once someone else brought a kitten into the building, the kitten was like three rooms away from my friend with the cat phobia and she didn't actually see it, but she immediately asked "Is there a cat here?" because she started having this reaction.

[Trick Question]

My tricks for remembering the racers' faces: Laura is a blonde with a Cruella DeVil face (not her fault, but I have no better comparison), Jackie is the black/thick-haired woman with darker skin, Aly is short and skinny, Ashley is the brunette woman who is neither Jackie or Aly, Hayley is platinum blonde and has a high-pitched voice, Tyler is a buff, short-bearded guy, Steve has curly hair and looks like he's 17, Blair is the douche-looking guy with a long nose (again, not his fault). Jelani and Jenny are obvious. I have no clue how to distinguish Matt and Jeff, except that the former tends to wear purple.

 

 

Laura = looks like a non-trainwreck version of Tara Reid

Tyler = elongated, bearded Seth Macfarlane

Jackie = Kim Kardashian

Jeff = my good friend Tyler from high school (this one may not be much help to you)

Aly = the super-attractive one without implants

Steve = the super-attractive one....seriously, Steve & Aly are like catalogue models come to life

Hayley = the blond that NEVER SHUTS UP

Blair = object of Hayley's ire

Ashley = buff, young Tracey Ullman with implants

Matt = cartoonishly muscled guy

[Haleth]

We've now had 2 eliminations now due to an unforeseen glitch in travel plans; first the couple that missed the train due to their preoccupation with selfies, then Team New Kid due to their not getting on an earlier flight.  Neither team had any chance of catching up once they fell so far behind.  Editing, schmediting, it was a foregone conclusion.

 

I still cannot distinguish between Jackie and the hairdresser's girlfriend, oh, excuse me, I heard they got engaged recently.  "Fiance".  Which is the one with the large breasts in her tight tank top and the shorts that stopped right at her crotch?  A particularly tasteless outfit to wear into a Buddhist temple, no?

 

Jackie is the Kardashian look alike.  Ashley is the hair dresser.  I have trouble distinguishing Ashley from Ally.  I've finally figured out who Tyler is but I couldn't tell you who Jeff or Steve is, and if you added Blair without the incessant mosquito, I'd probably not recognize him either.

 

When Hayley told Blair to take charge, then immediately started bossing him around, his telling look at the crew, saying "seriously, this girl; please tell me you caught that on camera, right?" was priceless.

 

That was great.

 

Does anyone know the point of the cat cafe?  Do people bring their cats to play with other cats?  (Which... really?)  Or do patrons go to have a drink and play with the kitties?  (Which is only slightly less weird.)  I have a cat but I don't think I'd enjoy being in a room with dozens of them.

[elychari2]

Soooooooo....any previously.tv users out there who have eaten 1000 Year Old eggs? If so, please describe the taste in detail.

Also, kitties!

(And they need to rename "Speedbumps" "Punishment for failing the last leg".) Bye-bye, favorite New Kid :(

I love century eggs in my congee. I like the creamy texture of the yolk and it is delicious. But I've never eaten an egg the way they did it in the show.

[SusieQZie]

I have to chime in on the Speed Bump. As soon as they said what it was, I said, "Sure, in other seasons the teams had to tie a ribbon on a tree or get a 5 minute massage." This one seemed a tad more difficult. Too bad, because I love Jon and Harley.

[Primetimer]

In Bangkok, Amazing Racers take circuitous routes through the city’s temples, markets, auto shops, and cat cafés.

Read the story

[Electruck]

when Jenny and Jelani were running away from the hair stylists and in the background there was a slow-motion Ashley falling to the ground and calling out, "noooooooo," I burst out laughing. It was just so dramatic and comical at the same time, and the fact that they were making their escape in a tuk-tuk just put it over the top.

Yes! I felt bad about laughing, but there was something about how she fell, and how she was looking up and reaching.. Oh gosh. And Matt was so sweet and immediately concerned about her.

I couldn't have eaten the egg without barfing, and I would have felt terrible to be so insulting. I can barely eat a hard-boiled egg for the sulfur smell. Thank you to the poster(s) who've mentioned that they're not normally eaten by themselves.

I didn't notice 'til others pointed it out, but yes, I definitely am missing Phil's The More You Know bits. I'd like to have heard more about things and places.

Reading about these eggs and how alkaline helps ensure you get a century egg and not a spoiled one.. the trial and error and patience involved! "Well, 50... 60... 90 days didn't do it, how about 100? Did you remember the alkaline?" Food can fascinate me, like plants where everything is poisonous except the root as long as you boil it first. And these eggs! Amazing.

[cooksdelight]

Does anyone know the point of the cat cafe? Do people bring their cats to play with other cats? (Which... really?) Or do patrons go to have a drink and play with the kitties? (Which is only slightly less weird.) I have a cat but I don't think I'd enjoy being in a room with dozens of them.

For those of us who love cats, it's a place to go and have some relaxing playtime with cats. Some places serve coffee, drinks, etc., but the main objective is for the visitor to leave their stress at the door.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_café

[teebax]

I absolutely detest watching people eat "gross" stuff while trying not to gag, so this episode had me using my own fast forward.

Hayley is one of the most annoying racers I've ever seen on TAR. If I were unfortunate enough to be partnered with her, I would have to quit. Sorry, there's no amount of money that would make me put up with her. I think the reason she's gotten worse is because of Blair's almost immediate dismissal of her.

I'm not one of those for whom blond equals attractive, but I'm sure Hayley is used to being around guys who fawn all over her. I have no idea if she's attractive or not because every time she opens her mouth I want to punch her in the face. So she actually appears ugly to me. The only thing I enjoy about watching that team is how thoroughly unimpressed Blair is with her. His passive-aggression is driving her nuts. Good.

[elychari2]

I went to a cat cafe in Taipei a couple of years back only because it was the only open store still serving food. The cats are really friendly so it was a bit off-putting trying to eat while some cat is rubbing against your legs. My friend who is a cat person loved it but all I could think was how unhygienic it was.

[panthergirl13]

NYC Cat people can go here:

http://www.meowparlour.com/

 

I would personally succumb to a fatal asthma attack, which was all I could think about when they got that task (my second thought was: "how is this a task?")

[etagloh]

Does anyone know the point of the cat cafe?  Do people bring their cats to play with other cats? 

 

No. As with the Japanese originals, it's for people who like cats but aren't able to have their own, usually through living in pet-free apartment blocks. Bangkok has more street cats than Japan, but they're not into being petted.

[TheOriginalDonald]

I can haz cheezburger?-Jess

No-Tardar Sauce #AllHailGrumpyCat

Me getting some action on this episode? Get Thai'd! You're talking to the tourist whose every move's among the purest! #IGetMyKicksABOVETHEWAISTLINESunshine-Phil Keoghan Head #OneNightInBangkok

[Guiaoshi]

Third leg in a row with a team in dead last, so even with us getting teams messing up, getting lost, it didnt affect the elimination at all, it was pretty obvious for the regular TAR viewer. And yep, Eat egg, say prayer, shoot pool, feed cats, remove 4 bolts are not the best tasks at all... On a other hand, we start to see some cracks in some teams, seems like its gonna be a very close race, no dominating team so far.. And yep, really mad at CBS to having us waiting so long for the new episodes, it sucks. 

[iMonrey]

 

Hint to producers: cast actual race fans, and people who like each other, and the race is more fun to watch.

 

Unfortunately the producers and/or network think the opposite is true. They seem to think bickering couples is entertaining. The whole reason behind this gimmicky season.

 

One thing I noticed consistently about Jonathan and Harley is that whenever they were in a cab together, Jonathan always had his arm around Harley. Always.

 

I'm still pissed this team got screwed over by what I adamantly believe to be poor race planning. There needed to be a bunch between the last leg and this one for them to have had a chance at catching up and they fell behind last leg due to circumstances beyond their control. One by one we seem to be losing the couples that stand out and keeping the couples who are so generic I can't tell them apart. Watch Kurt and Bergen will go next, followed by Mike and Rochelle. At which point, I will have to give up.

[ramble]

And how are people scared of cats? Allergic to them, sure. Don't really like them? Weird, but okay. But scared? Of cats?

I'm so allergic to cats I'm scared of my reaction. If I'm going to someone's house & I'm not sure of their pet situation, I always ask if they have cats before I go. It's survival mode for me. Simply walking in that cafe would have probably caused my eyes to swell shut. I also do not appreciate the fact that cats seem to have an inner rader telling them I'm allergic so they must immediately run to me & try to rub against me or crawl as close to my face as they physically can. It's creepy how that works.

I fear the egg task would have made me seem like an ugly American. I have texture issues with certain foods & can't stand normal Jell-O, let alone a gelatinous egg. Reason #4712 why I would never attempt TAR.

Even reading the descriptions of the teams that y'all are giving, they still are a mashed up blob of people to me. I think I can identify the lawyers, truckstop people, blind date guys who aren't into each other & the passive aggressive medical team. Everyone else is just couples of some sort. This sameness is something I dislike about the season. I miss the other types of relationships usually on the race.

[ennui]

I guess nobody works on cars anymore. This makes me sad.

I attended a dealership open house last year, and one of the technicians told me that almost 80% of modern car repairs involve a software upgrade, especially the electric cars. So, even if you know how, you can't.

[Jeffurry]

I had 1000-...or was it 100-year old eggs at a party once about fifteen years ago and I thought they were delicious! (Plural because I went back for seconds.) I just remember it being tangy, but I might not be remembering correctly.

As for that cat challenge, I couldn't even look at the TV. I am so allergic I would have been red-eyed and wheezing on my first step into that awful cafe. For me that is the worst challenge they've ever had on this show.

[piewarmer]

I attended a dealership open house last year, and one of the technicians told me that almost 80% of modern car repairs involve a software upgrade, especially the electric cars. So, even if you know how, you can't.

That's true to an extent with modern cars. One of mine is a hybrid, and I wouldn't know how to fix many things on it. There are an awful lot of not-so-techy cars still on the road, though - one of mine is a 1997, and the other is a 1930.

 

I'm just being an old coot, I guess, who thinks kids these days should understand the principles of the internal combustion engine and know how to gap a plug and learn to drive a stick, dadgum it! 

 

I kid, of course (except for about the stick) but a little mechanical aptitude serves a person well. I loved that Rochelle, despite not knowing exactly what the transmission was, had the aplomb to tear right in. Taking stuff apart is easy, it's putting it back together that's the tricky part.

Edited March 14, 2015 by piewarmer

[peachmangosteen]

I thought this episode was hilarious. I had to pause multiple times because I was laughing so much. I think the two best parts were the woman from the newly engaged team falling and Laura's "No stop" as she gagged while Tyler talked about rotten eggs.

 

I still prefer Hayley and Jenny to Blair and Jelani. Shrug. Misandry! (I love that spellcheck doesn't recognize that as a word.)

 

At this point I think it's obvious both Hayley and Blair are too blame for how dysfunctional they are, but I just can't stand Blair. He's far too arrogant for my tastes and he has little reason to be. That being said, I find I kinda love to hate him so at least there's that. I hope they last all the way to the end because they are mad entertaining.

 

"I got beat by a girl." Well, there goes any Jelani love I had. Also wasn't too fond of newly engaged guys' "She's a bitch," response to Jenny running the race and not coddling him, but I still find him entertaining so.

 

I like Kurt. Bergen seems kinda awful though. He hates Kurt to a degree I do not understand.

Edited March 14, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[raven]

Pouring milk into a bowl is a task now?  Talk about dumbing down.  Unfortunately the best of the real dating couples is eliminated, though Mike and Rochelle seem OK (no surprise, considering how awful this leg was planned).  What a boring season.  I miss seeing different 2 person dynamics and we are flying through everything so fast.  I FF through the date - didn't care - so waste of episode time for me.  I hope TAR doesn't try "dating couples/blind dates only" again once this is done.

Edited March 14, 2015 by raven

[Alapaki]

I have a confession.  I'm a middle-aged, cynical trial attorney . . . AND I WANT TO LIVE IN THE CATURDAY CAFE!!!!!!!!! SQUEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

 

Otherwise, a rather boring episode.  

 

Frankly, the only other highlight of the night was hearing my 11-year old daughter say, of Jenny and Hayley, "well, it's no surprise why they're single".

 

Like others, I still can't keep many of these teams straight, even with their semi-official team colors.  I'm not 100% opposed to having strangers teamed up to compete against players in existing relationships.  I think it's an interesting experiment in who works better together.  But I don't think they need the "blind-date" gimmick on top of that.  Just allow individuals to apply on their own and team them up.  

[needschocolate]

Too bad they didn't have to herd the cats.  That would have been fun to watch.

 

Is March Madness on 7 nights a week?  I can understand that they have to show the game live, but why can't they move TAR to another night.  CBS did it with Big Bang Theory during football season.  

Edited March 14, 2015 by needschocolate

[Turtle]

Hayley seems super high strung and is incapable of keeping her internal monologue internal. Incapable of letting things go, too. And shutting up. But in a weird way, I get the impression that Blair is enjoying her on some level. He seems to think she's amusing in her nuttiness. He's super calm and much slower to anger than 99% of the population is- it's crazy that he apparently hasn't snapped at her. I think I like them, although I do wish she wasn't always talking. Maybe because she would have made me want to drop out of the race, even if I wasn't on her team, I am fascinated athis reaction.

[cooksdelight]

Herding the cats from one room into another would have been great, complete with comical music. But I bet the owners didn't want the cats getting hurt or freaked out, even if production had asked about that.

[etagloh]

I'm still pissed this team got screwed over by what I adamantly believe to be poor race planning. There needed to be a bunch between the last leg and this one for them to have had a chance at catching up and they fell behind last leg due to circumstances beyond their control.

 

I'm more convinced by this now than I was last week. It was clear last week that TPTB wanted everybody bunched in Narita to seek flights when the desk opened, then bunched overnight in Phuket. It was clear this week that everybody was intended to be on that first flight to Bangkok. Stuff happens. It's annoying, but that's what comes from TAR taking place in the real world and not a controlled space on an island: occasionally good legs get spoiled by the starting conditions, sometimes bad ones turn out well in spite of themselves.

 

But in a weird way, I get the impression that Blair is enjoying her on some level. He seems to think she's amusing in her nuttiness.

 

I think he's decided that "needing to work on our communication" isn't in effect. Surgeons often have a morbid sense of humour, and we might be seeing that in effect.

[dbklmt]

Is March Madness on 7 nights a week?  I can understand that they have to show the game live, but why can't they move TAR to another night.  CBS did it with Big Bang Theory during football season.

 

No it's on Thursday thru Sunday for the next two weeks.  Even if it was still on Sunday nights it would have been pre-empted as it was in other years.  Even though I love The Amazing Race it's not a ratings box office winner like Big Bang Theory is thus negating a move to another night.

[Guest]

I find it so interesting that many see Blair as unbearably arrogant.  I admittedly don't watch like a hawk but he seems laid back and patient to me.  I loved when he looked at the camera in amusement.  If I was in his situation, being hen-pecked with possible killer fatigue myself and with a cameraman recording it, I would not be able to NOT defend myself, probably loudly and vehemently and possibly sarcastically.  

[meep.meep]

I guess nobody works on cars anymore. This makes me sad.

No, it just means they didn't cast anyone.  Since the majority of people cast for this season are in their 20s, and modern cars are more complex and electronic, that fewer "younger generation" folks work on cars.  But in other seasons, you could always count on a few parents being cast who were more likely to have worked on cars.  Think of Ian in Season 3, realizing that he's put regular gas into his diesel engine and draining it out.

 

Free Blair!

[green]

I'm more convinced by this now than I was last week. It was clear last week that TPTB wanted everybody bunched in Narita to seek flights when the desk opened, then bunched overnight in Phuket. It was clear this week that everybody was intended to be on that first flight to Bangkok. Stuff happens. It's annoying, but that's what comes from TAR taking place in the real world and not a controlled space on an island: occasionally good legs get spoiled by the starting conditions, sometimes bad ones turn out well in spite of themselves.

 

Yeah I agree totally.  One of the things I love about this show is that it is the real world and the producers can't control the whole thing.  It isn't some fake reality show secretly having all the strings pulled by production. 

 

And yeah you can never predict when some team screws up so badly that they lose their passport or a team gets a bad flight out (which happens pretty often, this missed flight isn't some horrible anomaly or travesty of justice).  It's the price you pay for not ruling the entire planet earth and I'll take that price any day as opposed to some controlled environment of boredom.

 

But the reverse can happen too like mentioned above. Like when some simple and seemingly uninteresting roadblock suddenly turns into one of the funniest visual segments in TAR history (Wil vs The Ice Globe, TAR2 as well as Colin vs The Broken Ox, TAR5).  That's the beauty of TAR, the surprise that both the world itself and the teams bring to the show.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

In other news, CATS!!!  You can never go wrong with cats in an episode.  We would happily welcome our furry overlords to each and every episode.

Edited March 14, 2015 by green

[cooksdelight]

meep.meep, you bring up an interesting point. All of the people are young. Just once, could we have a 40+ race? I think it would be interesting to see how an older generation would handle the stress of these challenges we've watched thus far. Not just physical stress, but mental stress and the inevitable fatigue.

And I agree, Free Blair! :)

[green]

meep.meep, you bring up an interesting point. All of the people are young. Just once, could we have a 40+ race? I think it would be interesting to see how an older generation would handle the stress of these challenges we've watched thus far. Not just physical stress, but mental stress and the inevitable fatigue.

 

 

Yeah if they have to have a gimmick (and plase do NOT ever again have another gimmick Race) then The Amazing Race: The Seniors Edition would be far better than this train wreck.  Even just mid-30's and up brings a far more interesting dynamic to me.  So many 20-somethings are just a blank slate on this show with nothing interesting to share on national TV.  A few do but most don't.  And the Generic Herd in this season particularly doesn't.

 

I'm with one poster up thread who sorted out the Black/Asian team, the Bearded guy/tattooed Lady one, the remaining gay team and the team that yells or is passive aggressive a lot (though they can only be picked out with audio clues ... too many audio clues). 

 

The rest is just the Generic Blob and I have no interest in them at all.  Nor in the other teams I can tell apart for that matter.  The Lawyers lost some points this episode and the Beard/Tatoo team gained some.  One gay guy wants to Race while he is afraid the other is about ready to quit (foreshadowing?) which means only half that team gets a positive from me.  Yeller/Passive Aggressive is just another Generic Blob team on audio steroids so no to them too.

Edited March 14, 2015 by green

[viajero]

I'm still pissed this team got screwed over by what I adamantly believe to be poor race planning. There needed to be a bunch between the last leg and this one for them to have had a chance at catching up and they fell behind last leg due to circumstances beyond their control.

 

I’ve never liked it when they have a bunch right after a NEL.  I’ve always felt that a team that is saved should face a high hurdle in catching up with the pack.  The extra task they have to do has rarely (if ever) had an affect on the outcome.  For me, it would be about right if it works out that teams saved by a NEL have a 67% chance of being eliminated in the next leg.

 

As for New Kids, they paid a high price for getting to the counter last in Narita.  But that’s why you always need to hustle during the race.  It’s usually a good idea to avoid being in last place during the legs and not just at the end of them.

 

I'm not 100% opposed to having strangers teamed up to compete against players in existing relationships.  I think it's an interesting experiment in who works better together.  But I don't think they need the "blind-date" gimmick on top of that.  Just allow individuals to apply on their own and team them up.

 

 

But in effect, that is exactly what has happened this season.  Only one of the blind date pairs seems to have any kind of possible romantic connection.  The rest are acting just like strangers teamed up soley for the purpose of running the race.  Even Phil seems to be giving up on this blind date concept by the end of this third leg.

[silverpie]

I'm wondering how much information was in the Detour clue. I'm seeing a worrisome trend of forcing teams to make important decisions with key information concealed. That just replaces strategy with either luck or ability to read the producers' minds. (Granted, Roadblocks have always contained an element of that, but in the past the Detours balanced that by allowing teams to make a decision based on their own skills/position/etc.) On top of which, the random Date Night awards could prove overly important in allowing teams to ward off KF...

 

Hooray for kitties! I would definitely have stayed a few extra minutes to get some purring (see above re: KF).

 

The trouble with Metal Castle was a bit surprising--having researched the matter, that is the literal meaning of Loha Prasat. Odd that the locals would associate it with the term Metal Temple (the name of the temple it's part of doesn't reference metal--it's the Royal Niece's Temple).

 

I don't see most of these couples rating the kind of mate the producers were contemplating...

Edited March 14, 2015 by silverpie

[Maggie]

I am rooting for Hayley and Blair to stay in this for awhile. I don't know why I am enjoying them so much. I usually hate the bickering couples - I find it so uncomfortable to watch actual couples fight. But somehow, the fact that these two aren't a real couple and were just randomly put together means that I can actually have fun watching them drive each other crazy.

[Lingo]

I think that for this season, it would be interesting to add one more gimmick: After the 6th leg, the show should offer the remaining Blind Date teams the option of switching partners.  In fact, not all 4 racers would need to agree -- if just two of them decide to partner up, then the remaining two would be forced to partner up as well.  This twist wouldn't make any sense on a regular season, but on this one, why the hell not?  Maybe Blair and Jelani would jump at the chance -- and maybe Hayley and Jenny wouldn't mind either.  (I'm not sure how they'd determined the departure times of the new teams -- average their times and start them together? -- but maybe there'd be an immediate bunch that would make it moot.)

 

Some things of note from the website bonus clips:

1) Phil is still asking them incessantly about loooooooove.  Almost all of the Mat Chats this week revolved around those questions.  Surprisingly, Blair and Hayley were still able to smile and laugh about their fights (though they're swearing off love), and compliment each other, and Hayley still says she has the most attractive partner.  Jenny and Jelani are also still very complimentary on the Mat.

 

2) Meanwhile, Jeff and Jackie have started to have arguments, though we haven't seen it on the show yet.

 

3) At the temple, teams like Jeff and Jackie and Hayley and Blair thought they had to enter the temple, which didn't open for another hour, so they hunkered down to wait.  But Laura and Tyler snuck off and found the cluebox up the stairs, then lied to the other teams about not finding it and snuck away to the river while the others continued to wait.  That's how they got such a big lead.

 

4) Matt and Ashley seemed to say (and Phil seemed to confirm) that it took them 4 hours to get from the roadblock to the pitstop.  Or maybe they were talking about the leg as a whole.

 

5) I'm convinced it was Jonathan and Harley's own mistakes at the Narita airport that cost them.  This week they were again discussing those mistakes and how to avoid them in the Thai airport.  Too bad it didn't help.  I'm going to miss them the most.

[meep.meep]

I see this year's gimmick coming from the accidental pairing of Mark and Mallory two (?) seasons ago.  They were both pretty good racers who had gotten almost to the end of their original races, but paired together, they were a disaster.  I can see the producers thinking:  what if we pair two strangers with an incentive to get along?  And the incentive (other than the money) is the potential romantic relationship.

 

Random query:  wouldn't you think the guy named Harley would be the one to do the mechanic task?

[Guest]

meep.meep, you bring up an interesting point. All of the people are young. Just once, could we have a 40+ race? I think it would be interesting to see how an older generation would handle the stress of these challenges we've watched thus far. Not just physical stress, but mental stress and the inevitable fatigue.

And I agree, Free Blair! :)

It's shallow to admit but I think viewers would run in droves.  Even us over-40s partly (consciously or not) tune in for the eye candy (though I think it'd be more correct to say it's just pleasant to watch gorgeous people in exotic places doing fun/silly/challenging things).  Not that there isn't 40+ eye candy.  But they also have to cater to those sub-40 viewers that advertisers care most about because they're in the spending stage of life.